thirteen

Adi's fingers trembled as he navigated to the gallery. Two videos.

Dated just before the day Dan died.

His throat went dry. 'There are videos,' he whispered.

Peter and Anne huddled closer, their faces illuminated by the cold glow of the phone screen.

Adi hesitated for just a second before tapping the first video.

The screen flickered to life. Dan's face appeared.

His messy hair was slightly damp with sweat, and the dim morning light cast uneasy shadows over his face. He stood exactly where they were—right in front of the abandoned house.

A weak chuckle escaped Dan's lips. 'Hey, guys,' he said, his voice slightly breathless. 'So… this is the same place from the video you showed me on your laptop yesterday. I came back. I don't know why, but I had to.'

On the screen, Dan exhaled, running a hand through his hair. 'I saw this house from a distance last night when I was here. It—' He glanced over his shoulder at the house as if expecting something to move inside. 'It gave me a weird feeling. I couldn't shake it. So… I decided to check it out in daylight. Safer, right?' He gave an awkward smile, but his eyes were uneasy.

The camera shook as he shifted the phone in his hands. 'This is turning into a vlog series, huh?' He forced a laugh. 'I should call it… "My Death Before Vlog".'

Silence.

Then he sighed. 'Okay, yeah. Not funny.'

The video cut to black.

Adi, Peter, and Anne didn't move.

The forest around them seemed to grow quieter, and darker. The weight of Dan's words settled into their bones.

Peter swallowed hard. 'He never uploaded this,' he murmured. 'It wasn't on his laptop.'

Anne hugged herself. 'Because he never got the chance.'

Adi's thumb hovered over the second video.

He swallowed hard, glancing at Peter and Anne. Their faces were pale, their breath slow and shallow.

Then he tapped play.

The screen jolted into motion. Dan was running. Fast. The camera shook violently, his panting ragged and desperate. Streetlights flashed past in a blur—it wasn't the forest anymore. He was in the city.

His face came into focus for a split second—wild eyes, drenched in sweat. Fear.

'I can't talk much right now,' he gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. 'People are chasing me—'

Dan looked over his shoulder. Then he bolted again.

The video was twisted, and chaotic. Shadows stretched across empty sidewalks. Neon lights flickered overhead. Then suddenly—he stopped.

His breathing was erratic, his hand covering the phone's camera for a second.

'I'll hide this phone somewhere near that old house…' He sucked in a sharp breath. His voice dropped lower, shaking. 'My dad is trying to kill me.'

Then—static.

The screen went black.

Silence.

Anne's voice trembled. 'W-What does that mean? His dad—'

'We need to get out of here.' Adi's voice was urgent. 'RUN'

They turned—and froze.

Three men stood behind them.

Their faces were masked by the shadows, but their presence was undeniable. Black clothes.

Adi's stomach twisted in dread. He knew one of them.

The man in the center—the one standing completely still, his head slightly tilted. The same man who had been stalking them from Anne's window.

Their escape route was gone.

They weren't alone anymore.